Under state election law, a police officer is required to stay at least 100' away from the polls unless he is there to cast his own vote, is serving a warrant, or his presence is specifically requested by elections officials to preserve the peace. Any closer than 100' is considered voter intimidation and the officer himself can be charged with a misdemeanor offense.
So Trump is actually calling on police to break the law.
Security at the polling place is provided by a constable. If he or she is unable to handle a situation, then and only then may an elections official request police.
37 comments:
So, you had to bring up Trump!
From what I read, he is calling for people to be exit poll workers. You've gone over this before, and I DO believe there will be ineligible persons voting.
To follow up, you described how official poll workers will make note of suspicious voters. They will list them on a sheet for follow-up. That's all very good, but how would we know if the person receiving the list takes it serious and even bothers to pass it along?
I'm not trying to be a thorn here. I know you have been working as a polling official. But, please continue and explain who actually gets such a sheet and how do we know what consideration it gets?
Fred Windish
Oh my god! that SOB Trump should be jailed! Go Hillary!
Are New Black Panther thugs also required to stay at least 100' away from the polls unless they are there to cast their votes?
"So, you had to bring up Trump!"
Fred, you brought up Trump every Saturday in Opinions Online during the primary. You are not the only person who can bring him up.
"From what I read, he is calling for people to be exit poll workers. You've gone over this before, and I DO believe there will be ineligible persons voting."
You read wrong. I quoted him directly. He is calling on law enforcement,police chiefs and sheriffs to be present at the polling places. This is completely illegal here in Pa, and it was absolutely necessary to point it out because none of the news sources that are supposed to be so biased against Trump have done so. He is now encouraging voter intimidation.
"you described how official poll workers will make note of suspicious voters. They will list them on a sheet for follow-up. That's all very good, but how would we know if the person receiving the list takes it serious and even bothers to pass it along?
Once again, you read wrong. I made no such statement. There is no such thing as a list of suspicious voters and i don't know where you got that notion. Our job is to make sure that people who want to vote can do so.If someone is not qualified, I have the person cast a provisional ballot. The only list to which you could be referring is the list of voters who are registered. In some cases, like a new voter or someone who moved in, we must check ID. There is nothing suspicious about it.
"Are New Black Panther thugs also required to stay at least 100' away from the polls unless they are there to cast their votes?"
Any person who attempts to intimidate voters, whether it is Black Pathers or KKK, can be charged.
Bernie, if a voter is termed "provisional," that seems to suggest the individual CAN vote, but the vote cast is subject to some official review before it is made part of the count. All I am asking is, how does the official review work? Surely, YOU and your fellow workers don't do the review and verification. So, who does?
By the way, the Saturday Trump mentions resulted in much discussion. If I hosted a blog, I'd see that as a good thing! I certainly DO appreciate you displaying those entries. It's your ball and bat!
Fred Windish
@6:11 except, of course if we have an attorney general who is favorable to thug violence and chooses not to prosecute the case. This is what happened in 2009 when Eric Holder dismissed the case against the New Black Panthers who stood outside a polling station in Philadelphia and only let in voters who told them they were voting for Obama.
Fred, The official review is done during the canvass. The voter is given a number to call and a receipt with a web address to indicate whether the vote counted. If not, that decision can be appealed to a judge.
6:19, It is actually the Bush administration that decided against a criminal investigation, but filed a civil suit. That suit was later dropped,and in that instance, there may have been political pressure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Black_Panther_Party_voter_intimidation_case
What happened there was, in my view, voter intimidation.
Perhaps there may not be any voting fraud or voter intimidation in your quaint little Mayberry-like polling place where you work Mr O'Hare. However, in places like North Philadelphia and similar Ferguson-type areas, the situation may be entirely different. This is where Democrats thrive in voter fraud and deceit.
Illegal Aliens can't vote but they will anyway. The dead can't vote either but they do as well.
All the white folk in North Philadelphia are sure angry. Get a clue. You people re too much. How about a compromise. Where ever a polling place has a black guy standing outside you get to hang a confederate flag on the other side of him.
Problem solved!
Thanks, Bernie!
I never knew how such notations are handled. However, it does sound as if the procedure could be tightened up a bit. A neighbor across the street has been a poll worker in Lower Saucon for years. I'll ask him to explain how he also handles such incidents.
You have to admit, honesty and integrity are fading in this country. You and I are old enough to see that.
Fred Windish
I have yet to see any intimidation at the polls. I am at least as old as anyone on this blog. Sometimes the candidates surrogates are a pain in the ass but as long as they stay the legal distance form the poll, it goes with democracy. Any black guy no matter how he dresses is allowed the same right. I mean it is not like someone is in the voting booth with you. This entire discussion of massive voter fraud and cheating in PA. Is childish and a great disservice e to our system. The Trump people should knock it off.
People should start to put their big person pants on and stop the nonsense. No wonder young people think all boomers and other elderly are crazy. You are giving them good reason to question our sanity.
A boomer who is disgusted with many of my generation. Grow the Hell up!
6:31, the fact remains that what Trump is proposing is completely illegal. That's the point. That seems to have gone right by you as you allow your fear and hate to take charge.
@7:21 Sorry Old Man. State and local law enforcement agents need to be trained in how to specifically deal with the thugs that will be unleashed to effect voter intimidation. These hooligans will be trained to promote confrontation with Law Enforcement in such a way as to milk the most propaganda from these events. Be assured that the Mainstream Media will put the most negative spin on efforts to control the intimidation. Be prepared for an onslaught of charges of voter dis-enfranchisement. Plan, plan, plan, now for the inevitable no holds barred attacks on truth and freedom.
Another Old Man that voted for Goldwater/Miller in 1964. I've grown the hell up. Why don't you take your own advise?
I recall in 2012 that there were reports of voting machine problems. It was being reported that some voters were claiming that they tried to vote for Romney but that the voting machines kept recording their votes as votes for Obama…
But of course, this doesn't happen in the suburbs and small towns. It happens in precincts that vote 100% for the Democratic candidate.
If the police are not allowed to do it, then have the constable monitor things. Easy enough. I don't expect Trump to have studied the laws pertaining to police involvement in polling places this in all 50 states. If it's not legal, don't do it, if it is, do it. It's not going to happen in places like Bethlehem Township, but I can envision all sorts of voter harassment in more urban areas. People wearing Trump hats getting punched, etc. I am voting for Trump would never put a Trump sign in my yard because I don't need a brick thrown through my window from some unruly extremist.
Speaking of, I find it interesting how I many Trump signs I see driving around all areas of this state, how I see far more Bernie signs than Hillary signs, and how I almost never see a Hillary signs. Can't remember the last time I saw a pro-Hillary sign. People will vote for her for sure, but it seems like nobody is passionately in favor of her.
Follow-up to my comment above, Trump can't direct police departments to do anything anyway so it is all just hypothetical.
As Constable for my borough I will ensure everyone has a right to vote who legally can and will not tolerate corruption or voter intimidation of any sort. As Bernie has stated, the only law enforcement officer allowed at the polls is the constable unless I or the Judge of Elections call them there. If they come on duty in Uniform they must be brought to the front of the line and vote and leave immediately.
I hope everyone comes out to vote and I look forward to seeing everyone there!
Fred Schoenenberger
Constable Wilson Borough 1
I hope ivanka is staffing my polling place on election day.
@7:49 You wrote: " I can envision all sorts of voter harassment in more urban areas. People wearing Trump hats getting punched, etc. I am voting for Trump would never put a Trump sign in my yard because I don't need a brick thrown through my window from some unruly extremist."
Many people feel that way. When I'm asked, normally I say "I don't talk about politics" because the intimidation against Trump supporters is very strong. I don't want to get into an argument with someone who has been a friend of mine for a long time, who is a strong Hillary Clinton supporter. It's not worth losing a friend over, because they will say the most nasty and insulting things to you if you say you're a Trump supporter. Also I won't put a Trump sticker on my car, nor will I put a sign in my yard. I don't want my paint keyed or my lawn trashed. Sorry. We need a change in this nation, it's never been so divided before Obama, who just seems to stir up things I've never felt before. Hillary Clinton is a liar and a crook, worse than Nixon. She's a power mad woman, I've worked for one like her who was so loaded with Testerosterone, I swear she was more like a man than the men that worked directly for her. She hired all of these wimps who did everything she wanted and were very weak. That's what she wanted working for her and I left. But she didn't know anything and would fire you on the spot if you disagreed with her. IT's best to leave than be fired so I just kept my mouth shut and left on my own. That isn't what our nation needs. I suspect there are many people out there who don't want to be called racists or bigots for supporting Trump.
Just shows how much respect and knowledge of the law he has. Imagine him as King , sorry I mean President. Laws wont apply.
Your R or D choice is Hillary Clinton or Donald J. Trump and you are debating "if the election is on the up-and-up"?
I don't know what it will take to make folks see, it's already fixed.
Trump has something else up his sleeve. Never in the history of our country has a Presidential candidate seen fit to impress on his True Believers that the result will be to rob them od their franchise. He wants to whip his people into such a frenzy that they will attempt to "take their country back" by force.
How do I know? He threatened the same thing with regard to the nomination.
These are sad times for democracy.
True democracy is long gone from America.
anon @1:22
It's not so much that it is gone, as it never was.
I think you would find a book written by Walter Lippmann in 1922 called, "Public Opinion" very interesting.
I see many Trump signs and the houses all look OK. You folks are paranoid crazy. As for being attacked. As an older white when I mention how whacky Trump is I am berated and harangued.
So I guess scary fanatic behavior can come form all directions.
Call out the Feds, Federal law "trumps" State law. Oh but that is right, The FBI Director is a confederate of Ms. Clinton!
Constables are law enforcement, and they are never charged with voter intimidation, as was the case in Easton's 9th ward a few years ago when the constable took it upon himself to remove signs that were legally allowable, but posted a message opposite of his own party registration. Police may not be allowed, but that doesn't stop certain political parties from committing crimes using law enforcement.
Not when it comes to the administration of elections. The only way Feds can get anything is to give the states money.
So Trump proposes breaking the law, and now you propose having the feds take over a state function. Pretty amazing from these so-called conservatives.
See, Bernie...these so-called conservatives are RIGHT...don't you get it?...they are right, dammit!...the problem couldn't possibly be that their ideology and candidates aren't acceptable to voters...no sir!...it has to be election fraud...that's the only remaining explanation.
The only way Trump can lose in Ohio and Pennsylvania is with huge voter fraud. Trump supporters know this and are justifiably concerned for our Republic.
is this what trump would like to see?
an example of police in Texas
https://www.texasobserver.org/above-the-law-pamela-elliott-sheriff/
"During the 2014 midterm elections, Gallegos was on her way to work when she noticed sheriff’s deputies at the polling site at the Baptist church. “When I got to work, the staff were discussing why there were deputies at all the locations,” Gallegos says. “Not just the church, but the school auditorium, the park building and the Church of Christ as well. So I went to each of them, and they were inside every one.”
Gallegos says the county clerk eventually called the sheriff’s office to tell her to pull her officers out of the polls. It was about 3 p.m. and voting had been underway for hours. She believes Sheriff Elliott was attempting to intimidate Hispanic voters in Edwards County, which in the last 15 years has grown from 45 percent Hispanic to 55 percent.
Gallegos says she spoke to elderly Hispanic friends who didn’t vote because they were scared off. “They just said ‘Oh, they’ll come after me; they’ll go after my children, my grandchildren, it’ll just cause trouble,’” Gallegos says. “The elderly are easily intimidated.”
Romana Bienek, the city secretary who was working at City Hall on the day of the 2014 midterm election, corroborates Gallegos’ account. She says she took nine phone calls from voters intimidated by the presence of sheriff ’s deputies at the polls.
“When I called the sheriff’s office and spoke to the sheriff herself … she said it was really none of [my] business. She told me to write down the people’s names and phone numbers and that she’d talk to them. I said ‘Fine,’ and that was it.”
Vote Trump. Make America great again!
When I go to the polls this fall I expect to see some NRA goons standing out front dressed in brown uniforms with Republican arm bands.
Josh Shapiro wants the Pennsylvania National Guard at the polls.
Post a Comment